Chapter Text
PROLOGUE
July 2024
It was a busy day at the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had been pre-occupied with the simulator, all while shooting various kinds of content for the Ferrari YouTube page.
When they had an hour to spare for lunch, the two drivers sat across each other in one of the meeting rooms, enjoying what seemed to be some temporary peace and quiet from all the buzz.
"Mate," Charles said, breaking the silence after having a few gulps of water. "I saw on the news that you've finally signed with Williams. That's great."
Carlos nodded in reply, smiling faintly.
"Yeah, they had lots of good plans for me, mate." He said. "Hard to decline."
In the four years they've spent being teammates, this goodbye was indeed bittersweet for Charles and Carlos. Neither of them expected for it to happen, what with their strong and steady performances on the grid, as well as their professional relationship that was slowly turning into a genuine friendship off track.
Despite this though, they always understood how unpredictable their chosen sport could be, and now, they had to deal with a change none of them was prepared for.
"You're definitely going to miss me, no? I mean, no one is going to annoy you as much as I do." Carlos teased, elicting some laughter from Charles.
"The missing you part, I'm not sure of. But the one where no one will annoy me as much as you do, I think that is a yes." The latter replied.
When the laughter died down, both guys shared a comfortable silence in the meeting room.
They might not have said it out in the open, but neither of them was ready to think about next year with another teammate. Four years was such a long time, and a lot of memories, both the bad and the good, were made.
"It's going to be a bit weird seeing you in blue." Charles stated.
"Eh, it's not too bad." Carlos replied, shrugging. "At least you'll still be in red."
Charles smiled faintly, as he patted Carlos' knee. An unspoken gesture of friendship and empathy that the latter needed during this pivotal part in his career. It wasn't easy, but Charles wanted his teammate to know that he wasn't alone.
"Oh well, we can be viola on the grid next year." Carlos said, trying to inject some comic relief into his situation.
"Viola? As in, purple?" Charles asked, genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well you know, you're going to be in red and I'm going to be in blue. But when you put them together, it's purple. So, viola!"
And just like that, the Ferrari boys shared another moment filled with laughter so loud it filled the entire meeting room with its volume and vibrance.
"Oh, mate. You have got to stop it with these jokes." Charles smiled. "But yes, next year, we are going to be viola."
Carlos smiled back.
"Promise me, mate. Nothing will change." He said, extending his hand out to the Monegasque that complicated his life in many ways.
"Nothing will change." Charles repeated, grasping the hand of the Spaniard that challenged him and made him a better driver in many ways.
No longer teammates, but friends and brothers.
Charles and Carlos were determined that, no matter what happens, the bond remains.